Method and apparatus for processing motion information

Abstract

A method for processing motion information in an input interlace-scanned pixel signal is disclosed. The motion information processing method includes the steps of detecting motion information of a target pixel based on difference information of a pixel signal at the same location between two fields, outputting the motion information of the target pixel by determining the motion information of the target pixel based on the detected motion information of the target pixel in the target field and the motion information of the target pixel in a past field prior to the target field, and determining whether moving pixels of at least a predetermined number are present within an area containing a plurality of adjacent pixels containing the target pixel in the target field, wherein the moving pixel has motion information indicating a moving picture. The motion information of the target pixel is determined in the outputting step with the motion information of the target pixel in the past field disregarded if the number of the moving pixels is not larger than the predetermined number.

1. A method for processing motion information in an input interlace-scanned pixel signal, the method comprising the steps of:
 detecting motion information, as original motion information, indicating whether a target pixel is a moving picture or a still picture based on difference information of a pixel signal at the same location between two fields; 
 storing the original motion information of a target pixel in a past field prior to a target field; 
 distinguishing whether moving pixels of at least a predetermined number are present within an area containing a plurality of adjacent pixels containing a target pixel in the target field, each of the moving pixels being a pixel of which the original motion information indicates a moving picture; and 
 outputting the original motion information of the target pixel in the target field when the distinguishing step distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are not present within the area, and determined motion information of the target pixel in the target field, the determined motion information being determined based on the motion information of the target pixel in the target field and the motion information of the target pixel in the past field at the same location, when the distinguishing step distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are present in the area. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of determining the motion information of an interpolation pixel based on the motion information corresponding to each of at least two target pixels in adjacent locations within the same field as the field of the interpolation pixel, the motion information corresponding to each of the at least two target pixels being output in the outputting step. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adjacent pixels comprises all or part of the pixels that form a horizontal line or a vertical line. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adjacent pixels comprises all or part of the pixels that form a plurality of adjacent horizontal lines or a plurality of adjacent vertical lines. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a step of determining the motion information of an interpolation pixel based on the motion information of the target pixel output in the outputting step at the same location in a different field adjacent to the field of the interpolation pixel. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the distinguishing step distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are present in the area, the outputting step determines and outputs the motion information of the target pixel based on the motion information of the target pixel in the target field, the motion information of the target pixel in the past field at the same location, and the motion information of two target pixels in the adjacent field of the target field at the position adjacent to the target pixel in the target field. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the distinguishing step distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are present in the area, the outputting step determines and outputs the motion information of the target pixel based on (a) the motion information of the target pixel in the target field, (b) motion information of a target pixel in a field two fields before the target field at the same location as the target pixel in the target field, and (c) motion information of two target pixels in a field one field before the target field at adjacent locations to the target pixel in the target field. 
     
     
       8. A motion adaptive interlace-progressive conversion method, comprising the steps of:
 determining the motion information of an interpolation pixel based on the motion information of two target pixels, one target pixel at the same location as the interpolation pixel in a prior field and the other target pixel at the same location as the interpolation pixel in a subsequent field, and the motion information of two target pixels in adjacent locations in the same field as the field of the interpolation pixel, output in the outputting step according to  claim 1 ; and 
 calculating an interpolation value of a pixel signal of the interpolation pixel based on the motion information of the interpolation pixel. 
 
     
     
       9. A motion adaptive interlace-progressive conversion method according to  claim 8 , wherein the interpolation value of the pixel signal of the interpolation pixel is determined from pixel signals from two reference pixels at adjacent locations within the same field as the field of the interpolation pixel if the motion information of the interpolation pixel indicates a moving picture, or the interpolation value of the pixel signal of the interpolation pixel is determined from at least one of pixel signals of two reference pixels, one pixel at the same location as the interpolation pixel in a prior field and the other pixel at the same location as the interpolation pixel in a subsequent field if the motion information of the interpolation pixel indicates a still picture. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for processing motion information in an input interlace-scanned pixel signal, the apparatus comprising:
 a detector for detecting motion information, as original motion information, indicating whether a target pixel is a moving picture or a still picture based on difference information of a pixel signal at the same location between two fields; 
 a storing unit that stores the original motion information of a target pixel in a past field prior to a target field; 
 a distinguisher for determining whether moving pixels of at least a predetermined number are present within an area containing a plurality of adjacent pixels containing a target pixel in the target field in the target field, each of the moving pixels being a pixel of which the original motion information indicates a moving picture; and 
 an output unit that outputs the original motion information of the target pixel in said target field when the distinguisher distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are not present within the area, and determined motion information of the target pixel in the target field, the determined motion information being determined based on the motion information of the target pixel in the target field and the motion information of the target pixel in the past field at the same location, when the distinguisher distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are present in the area. 
 
     
     
       11. A motion adaptive interlace-progressive converter comprising:
 the output unit of the motion information processing apparatus according to  claim 10 ; and 
 a determining unit for determining the motion information of an interpolation pixel based on the motion information corresponding to each of at least two target pixels in adjacent locations in the same field as the field of the interpolation pixel, the motion information corresponding to each of the at least two target pixels being output from the output unit and for determining an interpolation value of a pixel signal of the interpolation pixel based on the motion information of the interpolation pixel. 
 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for processing motion information in an input interlace-scanned pixel signal, the apparatus comprising:
 detecting means for detecting motion information, as original motion information, indicating whether a target pixel is a moving picture or a still picture based on difference information of a pixel signal at the same location between two fields; 
 storing means for storing the original motion information of a target pixel in a past field prior to a target field; 
 distinguishing means for determining whether moving pixels of at least a predetermined number are present within an area containing a plurality of adjacent pixels containing a target pixel in the target field in the target field, each of the moving pixels being a pixel of which the original motion information indicates a moving picture; and 
 output means for outputting the original information of the target pixel in the target field when said distinguishing means distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are not present within the area, and determined motion information of the target pixel in the target field, the determined motion information being determined based on the motion information of the target pixel in the target field and the motion information of the target pixel in the past field at the same location, when said distinguishing means distinguishes that the moving pixels of at least the predetermined number are present in the area.